Long Beach man says car accident was caused by ‘mystery boulders’ on Appian Way

A jury trial is set to begin this week for a 25-year-old Long Beach man who said he was severely injured when the car he was riding in hit landscaping boulders at the intersection of Second Street and Appian Way.

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Fermin Villa suffered major brain and spinal injuries in August 2012 when the car allegedly hit the boulders in a median and flipped as it merged onto Second Street from the curving eastbound connector on Appian Way.

Fermin Villa is suing the city after he was injured in an accident in 2012. (Credit:Balaban & Spielberger LLP)

Balaban said the city’s original design plan for the intersection did not include the tight curve from Appian to Second Street, nor did it include the boulders.

“We don’t understand why the city just doesn’t remove them,” he said.

Deputy City Attorney Howard Russell said the city denies any dangerous condition at the intersection and is not liable for Villa’s alleged injuries and damages.

This will be Villa’s second trial. In a previous trial, a jury ruled 9-3 in favor of the city but the judge later declared a mistrial due to juror misconduct.

Jury selection is expected to begin this week in Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse.

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Kelly Puente is a general assignment and special projects reporter at the Long Beach Post. Her prolific reporting has taken her all over Southern California—even to the small Catalina Island town of Two Harbors. She is a Tiki mug collector and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in public policy and administration at Cal State Long Beach. Reach her at [email protected].

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